Robb Tretter advises private investment firms, corporations and financial institutions on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, financing arrangements, securities law compliance, corporate governance and general corporate matters in private and public takeovers, investments, restructurings and reorganizations in the U.S. and abroad. Mr. Tretter's practice generally focuses on distressed or special situations.

Mr. Tretter regularly represents clients in asset and stock purchases and sales, often as part of leveraged buyouts, restructurings or recapitalizations. Mr. Tretter’s merger and acquisition experience encompasses hostile takeovers and tender offers involving major multinational corporations. He also counsels senior management and directors regarding takeover preparedness and corporate governance issues. His corporate clients come from diverse industries, including airlines, technology, health care, manufacturing, leisure, chemicals, and financial services. Since 2017, Mr. Tretter has been an adjunct professor at New York University School of Law teaching a course on special situations.

Prior to joining Ropes & Gray Mr. Tretter was a partner at an international law firm based in Houston, Texas. Mr. Tretter began his career at a law firm in New York City. 

Experience

  • Represented an ad hoc group of senior secured lenders to Westmoreland Coal Company, with respect to an out-of-court restructuring and spin-off of an ESG business.
  • Represented Cyrus and Keyframe Capital in a joint venture investment in Terawatt Infrastructure alongside VisionRidge.
  • Represented the senior lenders to My Alarm Company in Ch 11 equitization plan of reorganization and subsequent add-on acquisition of Alert360.
  • Represented private investment funds in conversion of senior debt of FreightCar America Inc. to senior preferred stock.
  • Represented a group of minority bondholders in negotiation of exit governance documents in the Ch 11 reorganization of a company that invested in a Macau casino.
  • Represented a private investment fund as lead investor in a $250 million convertible notes offering by a publicly traded UK-based company.
  • Represented a private investment fund in negotiations of its backstop commitments to fund the exit financing for the PG&E bankruptcy.
  • Represented a private equity firm in acquiring a majority equity stake in a company that provides equipment financing.
  • Represented a private equity firm in negotiating minority governance rights, backstop commitment and rights offering terms in the Ch 11 reorganization of a fracking company.
  • Represented a private equity firm in providing equity lines of credit to various investment funds and/or their managers to fund future investments, including fund investments in portfolio companies, GP commitments and co-investments.
  • Represented a private equity firm in the acquisition (as stalking horse bidder) of substantially all of the assets of a chemical manufacturer pursuant to a sale under §363 of the Bankruptcy Code.
  • Represented a freezer storage company and its shareholders in its more than $1 billion sale to a another freezer storage company.
  • Represented a private equity firm in multiple joint ventures with various management groups/asset managers to provide capital to fund various lines of business relating to finance, including small ticket revolving loans, mid-size commercial loans, and liquidity for tech company executives.
  • Represented a private equity firm in approximately $1.27 billion purchase of distressed credit portfolio of large-bracket investment bank consisting of over 270 instruments across asset types and geographies relating to approximately 170 companies.
  • Represented a private equity firm in a multi-million dollar additional preferred equity line commitment to a small cap private equity fund, whose remaining commitments had expired.
  • Represented large agricultural cooperative in the sale of its animal feed division and proposed debt restructuring.
  • Represented a hedge fund in the sale of two casinos acquired through an out-of-court foreclosure.
  • Represented a private equity firm in a structured secondary fund recapitalization transaction.
  • Represented a private equity firm in a multi-million dollar minority investment in a company that originates small balance commercial real estate loans.
  • Represented a private equity firm in a multi-million dollar minority PIPE investment in a public company that provides durable goods to consumers on a lease-to-own basis.
  • Represented an asset manager in a joint venture with a BDC to form a new private equity style fund to lend to middle market companies.
  • Represented a private equity firm in a multi-million dollar additional preferred equity line commitment to an investment holding company with a global investment portfolio and offices in the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia.
  • Represented a company that is a children’s clothing retailer in private debt repurchases and a debt tender offer at a discount to face value.
  • Represented a public company that manufactures, imports and distributes commercial cleaning and storage products in an out-of-court exchange of second lien debt for common equity.
  • Represented a private equity firm in the acquisition of an aircraft charter business.
  • Represented a publicly traded homebuilder in $8 billion merger-of-equals with another publicly traded homebuilder.
  • Represented creditors in a Mexican concurso restructuring of a hotel company.
  • Represented a hedge fund in a joint venture to develop an offshore LNG liquification facility in the Southern United States.
  • Represented a Japanese-based multi-national manufacturer of high-end stereo equipment in out-of-court restructuring with first lien lenders and its private equity sponsor.
  • Represented private equity firm in a $600mm 50/50 joint venture with a BDC to provide additional lending capital to the BDC.
  • Represented selling shareholders and the company in the sale of a post-Ch 11 reorganized satellite and communications provider based in Mexico.
  • Represented a real estate firm in its acquisition of the equity interest in the general partner and investment advisor to a private equity fund focused on investing in distressed real estate.
  • Represented the buyer in the acquisition of all of the outstanding limited and general partnership interests in a fund-of-funds manager that controls a portfolio of funds and an offer to the limited partners of the funds to purchase their limited partnership interests.

Areas of Practice